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Endgame, Part I

2026-05-06T01:55:39Z

Prfctcellrulz:

{{disambig3.5|the ''Animated'' episode|the ''Beast Machines'' episode|Endgame Pt. I: The Downward Spiral|Endgame}}

{{episode|
|series=Anitoon
|series2=AniJapan
|image=TFAni EndgamePart1 Autobots Ready.jpg
|caption=You're telling us this entire series was just to get Prime a jetpack? ''Again''?
|ep=41
|ep2=38
|prev2=This Is Why I Hate Machines
|next2=Endgame, Part II
|title="Endgame, Part I"
|airdate=[[May 16]], [[2009]]
|season=3
|season ep=12
|production company=[[Cartoon Network|Cartoon Network Studios]]
|written by=[[Rich Fogel]]
|directed by=[[Kalvin Lee]] [[Kentaro Mizuno]]
|animation studio=[[Mook]]
|continuity=[[Animated cartoon continuity]]
|video=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvghwvHXEGk
|videosite=YouTube}}

'''The Autobots race to find an advantage over Megatron's control of Omega Supreme.'''

==Synopsis==
At the [[Autobot Earth Base|plant]], [[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] and [[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] are working on Prowl's [[processor-over-matter]] by having Prowl lift some [[oil]] cans. Jazz is impressed with Prowl's skills, and wonders why he never completed his training. Suddenly, [[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] and [[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] come tearing in, causing Prowl to lose his concentration and drop the oil can. Bumblebee and Bulkhead skid on the spilled oil across the floor, crashing into the wall. As the two bots collect themselves, Prowl says that they're two reasons he never completed his training. Bulkhead and Bumblebee then explain why they came in so quickly: They've found [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]]'s energy signature, and it's on Earth's [[moon (moon)|moon]].

[[File:TFAni EndgamePart1 Lugnut vs Shockwave.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|And to think, this dance scene almost got cut.]]
On the Moon, [[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave]] continues his efforts to probe [[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]]'s memory banks for the [[activation code]]s to Omega Supreme. However, all he's found so far are some prewar datatrax of her school-teaching days. [[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] is convinced that his "most loyal servant" can find it in time. [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] takes a moment to goad [[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] that Megatron has another favorite, and Lugnut bashes Shockwave aside in protest, citing his great loyalty and never-ending search for Megatron. Shockwave counters that while Lugnut was fawning at Megatron's stabilizing servos, he risked his [[spark]] by going spying on the Autobots for stellar cycles. The two get into a fight, much to Megatron's annoyance, while Starscream gloats and rolls his head out of the room...

At the plant, the Autobots debate their options. [[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] says that they need to act now, and that they need to use the [[Magnus Hammer]]. [[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus]] is hesitant, and thinks back to his past...

:''At the [[Autobot High Council|High Council]] chambers, [[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] reviews Cadet Optimus and [[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Cadet Sentinel]]'s recent unauthorized visit to an organic world, which resulted in the loss of Cadet [[Blackarachnia (Animated)|Elita-1]]. Sentinel makes a final statement that he wanted to go back for Elita, but Optimus prevented him. Ultra Magnus again asks whose idea it was to go to the planet, and Optimus takes full responsibility as the senior Cadet. Ultra Magnus had high hopes for Optimus, even believing he could one day be [[Magnus (rank)|Magnus]], but now that will never be. Ultra Magnus pronounces his judgment: Optimus is to be expelled from the [[Autobot Academy]] and be ineligible for service in the [[Elite Guard|Cybertron Elite Guard]].''

Snapped back to the present, Optimus reaffirms that they don't need to use the Magnus Hammer. Instead, he was considering a flight mechanism to keep up with Megatron. Ratchet is resistant, but the other Autobots point out various examples of Autobot flight, and Ratchet finally relents. Optimus says that they need more information, so Prowl volunteers to go and spy on the Decepticons. Jazz vetoes this, saying that Prowl is on the verge of a major training breakthrough, so someone else must go. Bumblebee gets volunteered, much to his own annoyance.

[[File:TFA-Endgame-ShockwavePointsAndLaughs.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Statement: LOL]]
In the ruins of the [[Nemesis (Animated)|Decepticon warship]], Starscream creates a new body for himself from the shell of a [[Starscream clone (Animated)|clone]] and a [[protoform]]. However, as soon as the process is complete and Starscream's head is attached, Megatron reveals his presence and destroys the already complete clones. Starscream begs for mercy, saying he planned to make an army for the Decepticon cause, but Megatron has bigger plans in mind for the protoforms: Not to clone himself, nor even Lugnut. No, even bigger—about the size of Omega Supreme...

In the woods, Jazz guides Prowl in meditation, directing him to commune with the [[AllSpark#Animated continuity family|AllSpark]]. His efforts succeed, collecting the ambient dispersed AllSpark energy in the area and forming it into a solid AllSpark fragment. Meanwhile, Bumblebee is transwarped to the Moon. He manages to avoid being seen, but the transmitter he brought is destroyed when he avoids some construction work that Shockwave and Lugnut are doing. Making his way into Omega Supreme, he finds Arcee and realizes that she isn't quite functioning right. Since he doesn't know how to disconnect her without deactivating her, Bumblebee decides to activate her communicator to allow them to listen in on the Decepticons, and he quickly transwarps out. On Earth, the Autobots are unable to get the specifics of what's going on, but it quickly becomes obvious that Megatron is building something.

[[File:EndGamePart1-Autobotscantfly.jpg|thumb|left|upright=1.1|Wingblade Prime]]
At the plant, Ratchet, [[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari]], and [[Isaac Sumdac (Animated)|Professor Sumdac]] work on the [[jet pack]] they're building for Prime. Ratchet is having trouble, so Sari scans the device and discovers the problem. Once it's ready, they have Optimus take it for a test run. After he loses control, flies around the city, and crashes in front of the plant, all on five percent power, Ratchet and Sari decide to add some stabilizers. Once those are ready, Optimus conducts another test run. This one is much more successful, and Optimus actually enjoys his flying, thinking back to a conversation with Ultra Magnus...

:''Despite being expelled from the Academy, Optimus still impressed Ultra Magnus with the considerable skills he'd already shown in his stellar cycles of service. Managing to pull some strings, Ultra Magnus has been able to get Optimus promoted to [[Prime (rank)|Prime]] and get him a ship to command. Although Optimus is grateful, he soon sees his ship, [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|a rusted out piece of junk]]. Ratchet is performing maintenance and tells Optimus to ignore the appearance of the ship. Indicating Bumblebee and Bulkhead, he notes it's the young bots Optimus should be worried about...''

[[File:TFAni EndgamePart1 Optimus FemScream.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.1|"What the hell is that noise?" "Oh, that? I'm just driving with the top down."]]

While Optimus flies around the city, he attracts the attention of [[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]], who thinks that he's Starscream returned to Earth. Her overriding (and still unexplained) hatred of Starscream compels her fly and attack him. Optimus takes a hit and crashes into the river, while she flies off as she realizes he's not her progenitor.

On the Moon, Shockwave is finally able to bring Arcee's memory to the point where she and Ratchet were attacked by [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]]. Posing as Longarm Prime, he asks if she still has the activation codes for Project: Omega, which she does. Pleased, Shockwave pulls her wires and takes her to Megatron. Bulkhead and Bumblebee alert Optimus, who is in quite a funk after being beaten by a "Starscream wannabe".

Finally, the time has come to implant the protoforms into their base shells. They scan Omega Supreme, assuming his form. Longarm reawakens Arcee and instructs her to transfer the access code to Megatron, but she recognizes him and refuses. Shockwave thus deactivates her and prepares to upload the information to his leader. However, Starscream knocks Megatron aside to take the codes, but Lugnut knocks ''him'' aside and receives the codes instead—just as Megatron wanted. He knew that imprinting his personality onto the clones risked making them too ambitious, but there is no such threat from Lugnut, Megatron's "most loyal lieutenant"—a description which pleases Lugnut greatly. Furthermore, with the AllSpark fragments from Omega Supreme, they no longer have need of Starscream, whom Megatron immediately shoots, breaking his new body into several pieces.

[[File:TFAni EndgamePart1 Screamer NotAgain.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.1|De agony of de feet.]]
At the plant, Optimus is being repaired, and Ratchet insists that he must use the Magnus Hammer. Optimus still believes that using it isn't in his programming. Prowl, however, believes that fate makes its own programming, prompting Optimus to think back...

:''Working on repairing the space bridge where it all started, Bumblebee and Bulkhead stumble upon Prowl meditating in a cavern, having failed to commune with the AllSpark so far despite trying for a thousand stellar cycles. Unfortunately, one of the [[energon cube]]s Ratchet was setting up falls into Prowl's cavern. They barely make it out, but Prowl's ship is destroyed. Optimus offers to take him back to Cybertron in about fifty stellar cycles, after the crew finishes there, but notes that with Prowl's help, it could be sooner. Prowl bemoans how he has strayed so far from his path, and Optimus says that he can sympathize.''

[[File:TFA-Endgame-LugnutsSupreme.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Great, so now we know what the children would look like.]]

Optimus is snapped back to reality when Bulkhead says that he's getting several signals from the Moon. Meanwhile, Lugnut has finished uploading the codes, but a glitch forces him to remain on Omega Supreme with Shockwave to coordinate. Megatron, meanwhile, says that he will take the clones on a test run by destroying [[Detroit]]. As they launch, the Autobots head out to get a visual, while Optimus reluctantly grabs the Magnus Hammer. He asks Ratchet if they can still reason with Omega Supreme, but Ratchet doubts it, as the [[Lugnut Supreme|Lugnuts Supreme]] transform and prepare to touch down.

[[Endgame, Part II|To be concluded...]]
{{-}}

==Featured characters==
{{featuredcharacters
|c1=
*[[Jazz (Animated)|Jazz]] (1)
*[[Prowl (Animated)|Prowl]] (2)
*[[Bumblebee (Animated)|Bumblebee]] (3)
*[[Bulkhead (Animated)|Bulkhead]] (4)
*[[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]] (5)
*[[Arcee (Animated)|Arcee]] (6)
*[[Optimus Prime (Animated)|Optimus Prime]] (11)
*[[Ratchet (Animated)|Ratchet]] (12)
*[[Ultra Magnus (Animated)|Ultra Magnus]] (14, flashback)
*[[Sentinel Prime (Animated)|Cadet Sentinel]] (15, flashback)

|c2=
*[[Shockwave (Animated)|Shockwave / Longarm Prime]] (7)
*[[Megatron (Animated)|Megatron]] (8)
*[[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] (9)
*[[Lugnut (Animated)|Lugnut]] (10)
*[[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]] (17)
*Three [[Lugnut Supreme]]s (18–20)

|c3=
*[[Isaac Sumdac (Animated)|Isaac Sumdac]] (16)

|c4=
*[[Sari Sumdac (Animated)|Sari Sumdac]] (13)
}}

==Quotes==
'''Megatron''': "We need those codes to control Omega Supreme. If any bot can access them, it is you, my ever-loyal Shockwave." 
'''Starscream''': "Uh-oh. Looks like Megatron has a new favorite, and I'll give you a hint – it ain't you!"
:—Megatron flatters Shockwave while Starscream eggs on Lugnut.

[[File:TFAni EndgamePart1 Megatron Facepalm.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|*faceplateservo*]]
'''Megatron''': Can't you shut [[Arcee (Animated)|her]] up? She makes [[Blitzwing (Animated)|Blitzwing]] sound like he's got his head screwed on straight. 
'''Starscream''': You see? Now he even likes Blitzwing better than you. 
''[Lugnut bashes Shockwave aside while making his way to Starscream]'' 
'''Lugnut''': No! ''I'' am the most faithful! 
'''Shockwave''': Have you blown a diode?! I'm trying to work here! 
''[A scuffle ensues]'' 
'''Megatron''': Oh, for spark's sake...
:—You get what you pay for, Megatron. And these guys are free.

'''Prowl''': I'll transwarp to the Moon and spy on him. 
'''Jazz''': And take five on your Cyber-Ninja training? No dice. You're close to a real breakthrough. And I got a vibe that says we're gonna need every advantage we can get our servos on. 
'''Optimus''': Agreed. We'll send someone else. 
'''Bumblebee''': Who'd be crazy enough to volunteer for ''that'' mission? ''[Everyone looks at Bumblebee]'' Why's everyone looking at me? Why's everyone ''always'' looking at me?!
:—Bumblebee gets tired of all his suicide missions.

'''Starscream''': Have mercy, Megatron! I was merely building you an army to serve our great Decepticon cause. 
'''Megatron''': Ah, but you think too small, Starscream. I have plans for these protoforms. Much bigger plans. 
'''Starscream''': Naturally, you'd want to clone yourself, oh great one. 
'''Megatron''': Bigger. 
'''Starscream''': ''[Looks out the window]'' Oh not that idiot Lugnut 
''[Lugnut falls on his back, causing Shockwave to point and laugh]'' 
'''Megatron''': ''Bigger''... 
''[Starscream sees the base shells near Omega Supreme]'' 
'''Starscream''': Oh. I see... 
:—Megatron [[army-building|army-builds]] in the [[Size class|Titan-class range]]. That's hardcore.

"Get with it, Prowl. The AllSpark ain't just in your circuits, dig. It's grooving all around us. Reach out and hook yourself into it. 
:—'''Jazz''', being all mystical ''and'' hip at the same time.

'''Sari''': ''[Scans the boosters]'' You're right. We need to add a microaerator to the fuel line. 
'''Ratchet''': And I suppose the rocket boosters just told you that? 
'''Sari''': Kinda. 
'''Ratchet''': That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever— 
''[Ratchet checks the rocket boosters]'' 
'''Ratchet''': Wait! I've got it! We'll add a microaerator to the fuel line! 
'''Sari''': Hmm, now why didn't I think of that? 
:—Ratchet is either a glory hog or going senile. Possibly both.

'''Slipstream''': [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]]! You got some nerve showing your wing struts back here! ''[transforms and flies after 'Starscream'. She reaches 'him' and fires upon 'him', knocking Optimus Prime out of the sky]'' Wait. You're not Starscream. You're ... a flying Autobot? 
'''Optimus Prime''': Whoa! 
''[Optimus falls into the river. Then Slipstream stops to admire her handiwork, before transforming and flying away.]'' 
:-Slipstream, making an honest mistake.

"Instilled with my own powerful personality, the clones might try to overthrow me. But not so my ''most loyal'' lieutenant..." 
''[to Megatron]'' "Ah. I am honoured, my Lord." ''[to Shockwave]'' "Hah. Megatron trusts '''me''' the most!"
:—'''Megatron''' makes all '''Lugnut'''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s dreams come true. Lugnut responds by showing what a child he is.

"First I fail to protect the protoforms and now this! Do you have any idea what it's like to embark on a path, only to find it so completely twisted and turned that you have no idea where you are?!" 
"Oddly enough, I do."
:—'''Prowl''' and '''Optimus Prime'''

==Notes==
===Continuity notes===
*Prowl's failure to complete his [[Cyber-Ninja Corps|Cyber-Ninja]] training, as previously mentioned in "[[A Bridge Too Close, Part II]]", is again brought up. We learn in this episode that his failure is partially due to the fact that while trying to commune with the AllSpark, he was interrupted by Optimus Prime's crew and wound up joining up with them out of necessity, bridging the storytelling gap between "[[Five Servos of Doom]]" and "[[Transform and Roll Out]]".
*The events of the "[[Along Came a Spider]]" flashbacks are at last confirmed to be the reason that Optimus was kicked out of the [[Autobot Academy]].
*[[Slipstream (Animated)|Slipstream]] returns for the first time since "A Bridge Too Close, Part II".
*The [[protoform]]s that [[Lockdown (Animated)|Lockdown]] stole in "Five Servos of Doom" return in this episode, when it is revealed that the bounty hunter appropriated them for Megatron, and that they have been in the remains of his crashed warship all this time. As many fans had suspected, the protoforms are confirmed to have been used by Starscream to create his [[Starscream clone (Animated)|clones]] in "[[A Fistful of Energon]]" and "[[A Bridge Too Close, Part I]]". As the events of "Five Servos" suggested, the protoforms are shown to be [[blank]], without [[spark]]s.
*Ratchet once again repeats the oft-heard mantra that "Autobots don't fly", a common (if frequently broken) rule throughout most of the Transformers fiction, and one that has received quite a bit of attention in ''Animated''. Like quite a lot of fans before them, Bulkhead and Bumblebee promptly confront Ratchet with the harsh reality: [[Jetfire (Animated)|quite]] [[Jetstorm (Animated)|a]] [[Swoop (Animated)|few]] ''[[Prowl (Animated)|Animated]]'' [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Autobots]] have taken to the skies at this point.
*In [[TransWarped]] Optimus mentions one day he'd learn how to fly. Looks like he held on to that thought.

===Transformers references===
[[File:GodGinrai toy.jpg|thumb|upright=1.66|Now, that's some upgrade...]]
*While more viewers will likely be reminded of ''[[Transformers: Cybertron (franchise)|Cybertron]]'' [[Optimus Prime (Armada)|Optimus Prime]]'s super mode, ''Animated'' Optimus's new flight attachments (specifically, the colors and details of his wings and gauntlets) are based on [[Ginrai (human)|God Ginrai]]'s flight-endowing [[Godbomber]] components. The flight pack itself, to which the wings attach, doesn't seem to owe as much to Ginrai's, however; even its resemblance to the [[Jetfire (G1)|original Jetfire]]'s booster pack is unintentional, according to [[Derrick J. Wyatt]] (any connection between it and [[More than Meets the Eye, Part 3|the time Prime wore Sideswipe's]] [[jet pack|rocket pack]] is unconfirmed). His shoulder cannons, however, do appear to be based on his Voyager-class toy's water blaster.
*As he jets into the sky, Optimus shouts out [[Megatron (BW)|"Yessssss!" and "Excellent"]].
*The creation of the Lugnut Supremes, evil clones of [[Omega Supreme (Animated)|Omega Supreme]], hearkens back to previous evil Omegas such as the [[Omega Sentinel (G1)|Omega Sentinel]] and the [[Dark Guardian]]s.
*Starscream's line "It's so nice to have a real body again!" after rebuilding himself (for the first time) is almost word-for-word the same line he uses in [[Starscream's Ghost|a certain G1 episode]] after inhabiting [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus's]] body.
*This is not the first time [[Marty Isenberg]] worked on a series finale of a Transformers series called [[Endgame Pt. I: The Downward Spiral|Endgame Part 1]].

===Real-world references===
*The scene in which Optimus tests his jet pack for the first time appears to be a reference to a similar scene in the 2008 ''[[Iron Man]]'' {{w|Iron Man (2008 film)|motion picture}}, as he starts out using only a tiny percentage of the pack's power and still winds up shooting off out of control. When he achieves successful flight on his next test, he's also just as elated as Stark was. Amusingly, this isn't even the first time [[David Kaye]]'s played the part of Iron Man, having voiced the character in the ''{{w|Fantastic Four: World's Greatest Heroes}}'' animated series.

===Trivia===
*Prowl had been on his optics quest for at least "a million stellar cycles" before he joined up with Optimus...and had accomplished jack squat in all that time. Of course, he could have been exaggerating out of frustration.
*Megatron purposely started the Shockwave/Lugnut feud, knowing Starscream would try to seize Omega Supreme's access codes, just to be sure Lugnut would be in his most loyal state at the moment of the transfer? Now, that's some sleeky fore-thinkings...
*Shockwave has enough of a sense of humor that he can laugh. Who knew?
*Interestingly, Megatron destroys all of the remaining (albeit inert) Starscream clone shells, instead of reprogramming them to serve him and boost the number of troops under his command. [[Starscream (Animated)|Starscream]] even suggests this, but apparently Megatron prefers [[Lugnut Supreme|sheer brute force]] over [[Air Warrior|numbers]]. Considering who they're clones of, this isn't really that surprising.
*After spending all of Season 3 as a disembodied head, Starscream finally regains his body....only to have Megatron blow it to smithereens at the end of the episode. ''Tough break'', Screamer.
*Prowl punches a boulder out of frustration and the boulder ''splits neatly in half!'' Holy crap man.
*This is not the [[Matrix Blade|first time]] that an Optimus has taken up a huge, Matrix-related melee weapon for the final battle against a Megatron.
*In this episode, Longarm's rank is "Security Chief". This is most likely because his cover has been blown or the fact that he was speaking to Arcee, who is unaware [[Great War (Animated)|the war]] has ended.
*This episode is not only the last to feature Slipstream, but the only one in the entire season.
*During Shockwave and Lugnut's fight you can actually hear Shockwave say "Liar, Lying Liar". No seriously.

===Foreign localization===
'''French'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Fin de partie, 1ère partie'''" ("Endgame, 1st Part")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''Brazilian'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Fim de Jogo Parte 1'''" ("Game Over Part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' ???

'''Spanish (Latin America)'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Fin del juego, pare 1'''" ("Game over, part 1")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[December 22|22 December]] [[2009]]

'''Japanese'''
:*''Title:'' "'''Tobitate! Optimus Prime'''" (翔びたて! オプティマスプライム, "Take Off! Optimus Prime")
:*''Original airdate:'' [[December 18|18 December]] [[2010]]

==Home video releases==
;DVD
[[File:Flag of Japan.png|20px|Japan]] 2011 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Vol. 10 ([[Paramount]]) — Japanese audio only. 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season Three ([[Shout! Factory]]) 
[[File:Flag of USA.png|20px|United States of America]] 2014 — ''Transformers Animated'' — The Complete Series (Shout! Factory) 
[[File:Flag of Australia.png|20px|Australia]] 2014 — ''Transformers Animated'' — Season Three ([[Madman Entertainment]])

[[Category:Animated episodes]]

Kim Jong Du

2010-12-05T20:24:35Z

Prfctcellrulz:

:''Kim Jong Du is a [[human]] from the [[IDW]] portion of the [[Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:KimJongDu.jpg|right|350px|thumb|[[Wikipedia:Team_America: World Police|Herro!]]]]

'''Kim Jong Du''' is the ruler of [[North Korea]], having taken over from his late father. We're sure he'll be a nice change of pace.

==Fiction==
===IDW comics continuity===
Having risen to power following his father's death, Kim Jong Du was leading North Korea several years after the [[Decepticon]] invasion. He oversaw the country's production of [[Energon (fuel)|energon]]. At some point, he allied himself with the [[Combaticon (G1)|Combaticons]], and set up an invasion of [[South Korea]] by attacking the [[Demilitarized Zone]]. {{storylink|International Incident Part 1: "The Land Ironclads"}} While the invasion started off well, Kim got angry when the Combaticons slacked off in a most unpatriotic manner after only a single night's work. They got much more active and patriotic when he threatened to take their energon rations away, after which he ordered them to destroy the enemy troops gathering nearby. {{storylink|International Incident Part 2: "Ranks of Bronze"}} It didn't take long for the [[Autobot]]s to get involved, leading to the destruction of North Korea's energon production facilities. With his only bargaining chip lost, Kim Jong Du's alliance with the Combaticons subsequently fell through. {{storylink|International Incident Part 4: "All My Sins Remembered"}}

[[Category:Comic-only characters]]
[[Category:Generation 1 humans]]
[[Category:Politicians]]

Straxus (G1)

2010-02-25T02:29:11Z

Prfctcellrulz: /* Generations */

{{factions|decepticon}}
{{disambig3|Straxus}}
{{disambig2|the character who is named Darkmount in [[Generations (toyline)|Generations]]|the Decepticon fortress from [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]]|Darkmount}}

:''Straxus is a [[Decepticon]] in the [[Marvel Comics]] portion of the [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] [[continuity family]].''

[[Image:Straxus.jpg|right|250px|thumb|Mercy is not dispensed here, fools, only Pez.]]
A ruthless, fearmongering dictator, Lord High Governor '''Straxus''' is a threat to all under his rule—including his own inner circle. From his throne in [[Darkmount]], there are none in [[Polyhex]] who don't feel his crushing influence. Straxus's word is law, unbound by reason or facts, and can and will change from thought to thought. A brutal powerhouse, he is more than able to enforce his policies, usually with a deadly blow from his battle axe. Do not try to appeal to his sense of pity; he has none.

{{quote|'''Mercy''' is not dispensed here, fools... only '''death!'''|Straxus|"[[The Smelting Pool!]]"}}

==Fiction==
===Marvel Comics continuity===
====Generation 1====
{{noteukonly}}
[[Image:Straxusholdscourt.jpg|left|300px|thumb|He's got a metal palm tree and he's not afraid to use it!]]
''Following the assassination of the Decepticon warlord [[Trannis]] by the [[Autobot]] commando unit, the [[Wrecker]]s, Straxus assumed his position as Decepticon leader on Cybertron.'' {{storylink|Target: 2006|Cybertron: The Middle Years!}}

When a Decepticon transmission beamed from the planet [[Earth]] circa the Earth year 1985 reached Cybertron, Straxus immediately arranged for the capture of the scientist [[Spanner (G1)|Spanner]] so that a [[space bridge]] between the worlds could be constructed. Attempting to locate Spanner, the Autobot spy [[Scrounge (G1)|Scrounge]] learned of this plot, but was captured by [[Shrapnel (G1)|Shrapnel]] and brought before Straxus, who maliciously destroyed his unique recording-device arm before consigning him to death in the [[Smelting pool|smelting pools]]. In turn, [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] came searching for Scrounge (against orders), was captured and brought before Straxus, and sentenced to the pools. There he discovered the dying Scrounge, was given the information he had acquired, and escaped with the aid of his Autobot friends who had come looking for him (against orders). {{storylink|The Smelting Pool!}}

[[Image:Straxusaltmode.jpg|right|300px|thumb|Yeah, but where does the axe go?]]The space bridge was subsequently completed, but its earliest tests reduced Straxus to rage when a malfunction caused the death of [[Crosscut (Decepticon)|Crosscut]], and he sent another unfortunate to instant death in an attempt to figure out what had gone wrong. As the tests went on, an Autobot raiding party planted explosives within Darkmount, destroying it, and sending an enraged Straxus after their heads. With the bridge unattended, Blaster intended to destroy it, but was confronted by Straxus in a one-on-one duel. Crippling Blaster with his axe, Straxus was duped into accidentally severing the bridge's fuel line, destabilizing its teleporting arch, through which Blaster then kicked Straxus, destroying him. {{storylink|The Bridge to Nowhere!}}

[[Image:Straxushead.jpg|left|180px|thumb|Teletraan I, Rita's escaped, recruit a team of teenagers with attitude...no, er wait...]]

''However, while Straxus's body was reduced to ash, his head was salvaged and placed in a life-support pod that allowed him to continue on in his position as leader. '' {{storylink|The Harder They Die!}}'' Soon after, when [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]] arrived on Cybertron, Straxus immediately set in motion a scheme to restore himself to life, calmly following Megatron's directions to hunt down [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], who had arrived on the planet with him. '' {{storylink|Under Fire!}}'' After Prime carried out several successful raids alongside the Wreckers, Megatron began to grow more and more unstable, and Straxus more and more impatient with his deranged houseguest. Despite the warnings of his technicians as to the "unpredictability" of the machinery involved, Straxus made the final step, activating a device that would exchange his and Megatron's minds, giving him a body once more. Megatron resisted the transfer, however, leaving the two minds within Megatron's body, fighting for dominance, each one in control at a different moment. In battle with Prime and [[Ultra Magnus (G1)|Ultra Magnus]], Megatron prepared to unleash his destructive anti-matter powers, but in order to stop him, [[Ratbat (G1)|Ratbat]] activated the space bridge, teleporting the three Transformers back to [[Earth]].'' {{storylink|Resurrection!}}

[[Image:Maulers_mauled.jpg|right|thumb|250px|This story is full of awesome Megatron moments and Straxus retroactively stole them all. He ''is'' evil!]]

''Before this could occur, having failed to oust Megatron's mind, Straxus activated his contingency plan, "[[Project Re-Birth]]," and his consciousness fled into a body he had specially prepared—a duplicate of Megatron created from a "[[hapless trooper]]", complete with a copy of his brain patterns, beneath which Straxus's personality lay dormant. '' {{storylink|Two Megatrons!}}'' Upon hearing of the true Megatron's seeming death aboard the space bridge a short time later, the project technicians activated the clone, sending it to the sewers beneath [[London]] where it came into conflict with a small group of Autobots, [[Action Force (team)|Action Force]] and [[Centurion (Marvel)|Centurion]]. Straxus's mind had yet to take over the clone at this point, and it genuinely believed itself to be the true Megatron, but it was soon dealt with when an oil tank explosion sent it and Centurion tumbling into the Thames river.'' {{storylink|Ancient Relics!}}

''Some time later, seeking a weapon to use against the deranged future Decepticon [[Galvatron (G1)|Galvatron]], [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] recovered the Megatron clone, also believing it to be the genuine article, only to find that "Megatron"'s mind had retreated into itself. Shockwave subjected the clone to the [[psycho-probe]], intending to force "Megatron" to face his fears—but instead, Straxus emerged, intending to fight Megatron's fears for him and finally take control of the body. Megatron fought back, however, ripping the mental image of Straxus to pieces and finally taking over their shared mind.'' {{storylink|Salvage!}}

[[Image:TFUK TwoMegatrons Suicide.JPG|left|150px|thumb|No, no! Aim away from the face!]]
''This Megatron proceeded to battle Galvatron, and then sided with him to battle Autobots of the present and future in the "[[Time Wars]]". Faced with destruction on all sides, the Megatron clone opted instead to return to Cybertron, where he dethroned the decadent ruling [[Triumverate]] and took control of the Decepticons on the planet once more... ruling confident in the knowledge he'd become Galvatron, and ''this'' time he'd do things ''right''!'' {{storylink|The Fall and Rise of the Decepticon Empire}}

''Soon, however, he began to suffer from nightmarish visions of the lives lived by both the trooper whose body became his, and of Straxus, just as the true Megatron—having recovered his memories after a period of wandering amensia in the [[Dead End (place)|Dead End]]—attacked his base. '' {{storylink|Mind Games}}'' The two Megatrons battled, with the true one revealed the clone's nature to him, and all at once, everything made sense to the clone. Along with this revelation, another immediately arose—Straxus's mental defeat was a sham, and he had been dwelling within the clone's mind all along, steadily growing in power as the clone weakened. Straxus made one final attempt to seize control of their mind, and the clone committed suicide, blowing his own head off with his [[fusion cannon]], rather than allow Straxus to win.'' {{storylink|Two Megatrons!}}

''It is possible that in the original un-altered pre-Time Wars timeline, the Straxus-Megatron clone may have been the Megatron transformed into Galvatron, but the shifting nature of the timelines makes this open to debate at best.''

''All very simple, isn't it?''

{{note|The true nature of the Megatron clone was not revealed until the story which depicted his death. This was because, for all of the clone's other stories, he was regarded by characters, readers and writer [[Simon Furman]] as actually being the ''real'' Megatron, having survived his supposed death in the US comics. The US comics, however, continued to treat Megatron as pushing up daisies, so when Simon Furman took over writing that title and penned Megatron's return, he needed an explanation that would reconcile Megatron's continual appearances in the UK title with his lack of activity in the US. Relegating the Megatron of the UK comics to a clone was that explanation, revealed in UK-exclusive strips which ran concurrently with the reprints of Megatron's US return.}}

=====Marvel UK future timelines=====

The Megatron clone went on to wage a [[Decepticon Civil War]] against [[Shockwave (G1)|Shockwave]] and [[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]]. {{storylink|Trigger-Happy!}} He appears to have then become Galvatron by 2006 and, by not fleeing to Earth's past, conquered Cybertron! Well, it seems to be him, it's very confusing. If it was him, he then got stepped on by [[Unicron]] in 2010. {{storylink|Aspects of Evil!}}

====''Generation 2''====
[[Jhiaxus (G2)|Jhiaxus]] referred to Straxus as one of the petty, small-minded dictators he left in charge of [[Cybertron (planet)|Cybertron]] when he left to start the [[Cybertronian Empire]]. {{storylink|War Without End!}}

====''Universe Classic Series'' toy bios====
During Straxus's rule over Polyhex, he put a lowly, unknown warrior through an excruciating rebuilding process, tortuously reforging him into the very image of Optimus Prime. Through forcible data uploads and brainwashing, the Decepticon was imbued with memories and skills culled from many sources, giving him much of Optimus Prime's knowledge and combat algorithms. However, Straxus perished before he could complete this "[[Nemesis Prime (G1)|Nemesis Prime]]", and his creation was left without a framework with which to process the mental injections. Straxus's legacy was this mad wraith haunting the back alleys of Cybertron, hunting down Autobots and Decepticons alike.<ref>[http://tformers.net/g/albums/9893/DSCF2738.JPG Nemesis Prime's ''Universe Classic Series'' on-package bio]</ref>

{{note|Nemesis Prime's backstory was certainly inspired by the Megatron-clone plot, but their relation to each other in-fiction is unclear. A straight reading would suggest that Straxus merely had more than one clone project in the works. However, if one assumes that the ''Classic Series'' bios are meant to follow the ''[[Hasbro Transformers Collectors' Club (magazine)|Classics'' comic]], then Nemesis Prime would be Straxus's ONLY known clone project in his universe, since the UK comics are not part of that continuity. However, it wouldn't be the [[Mutant (G1)|first time]] a [[The 4,000,000 Year Itch!|UK-only plot thread]] managed to make it into a ''Classics''-related product...}}

===IDW comics continuity===
Straxus (not a "Lord")<ref>[http://simonfurman.wordpress.com/2008/06/17/wheels-on-fire/#comment-3627 "WHEELS ON FIRE"—simon furman: the blog]</ref> was part of the crew of the first ''[[Ark (G1)|Ark]]'', which left Cybertron long before [[Megatron (G1)|Megatron]]'s uprising. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

[[Image:Straxusidw.jpg|right|250px|thumb|I may or may not be here in subsequent panels, depending on how the artist feels today.]]
Later, at the beginning of the war, as the Decepticon movement was just beginning to reveal its true menace, Straxus returned to Cybertron for some reason to work security at the [[Kaon Security Headquarters]]. When the Decepticon [[Starscream (G1)|Starscream]] was brought to trial before an emergency session of the [[Kaon Council]], the accused started a prisoner revolt. {{storylink|Megatron Origin}}

Millions of years later, Straxus had apparently returned to the [[Dead Universe]]. When [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]] was abducted on [[Gorlam Prime]], Straxus implanted a device in his brain that would make him a sleeper agent for the Dead Universe crew.<ref>According to the [http://idwpublishing.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=82441#82441 script] for [[Spotlight: Hardhead]].</ref> {{storylink|Spotlight: Nightbeat}}

[[Image:SpotlightDoubledealer Straxus Transforms.jpg|left|thumb|250px|And yet, surprisingly few kitbashes from Cybertron [[Sideways (RID)|Sideways]]...]]
After [[Cyclonus (G1)|Cyclonus]] secured the [[Nega-Core]] and activated its guardian, Straxus initiated the [[Expansion]] with [[Nova Prime|Nemesis Prime]] and the rest of the Dead Universe crew. {{storylink|Spotlight: Cyclonus}}

Later, Straxus attacked Earth with [[Grindcore (G1)|Grindcore]]. His job was to bombard the surface in his jet mode and then operate an [[Energon (fuel)|energon]] drill while Grindcore set up a [[space bridge]]. {{storylink|Spotlight: Doubledealer}}

Straxus and Grindcore soon had to defend this site when an Autobot team led by [[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress Maximus]] stormed it, trying to prevent the Expansion. [[Sideswipe (G1)|Sideswipe]] ended up holding off both of them at the same time while the other Autobots slipped by. The [[Benzuli Expanse]] anomaly was soon sealed off, and unable to survive without their connection to the Dead Universe, both Straxus and Grindcore simply...ceased functioning. {{storylink|Spotlight: Sideswipe}}

{{note|It's likely that [[Eric Holmes]] didn't consult with [[Simon Furman]] when he had Straxus as a cameo in ''[[Megatron Origin]]''. (Straxus must have been mentioned in the script, since he shows up in [http://mmatere.deviantart.com/art/Megatron-Origins-4-pag-02-80058403 Marcelo Matere's version of the page.]) Since he was never mentioned by name in ''Origin'', and he has a different design in the later Spotlights, it can be easily retconned that the character in ''Megatron Origin'' was [[Bluster|"Straxus's brother"]], since Straxus was supposedly in the Dead Universe at this time.}}

==Toys==
===Generations===
[[Image:Generations_straxus_darkmou.jpg|right|300px|thumb|26 years and we FINALLY get this guy?! WTF HASBRO?!?]]
*'''Darkmount''' (Deluxe, 2010)
**''Accessories'': Pick-axe
:Part of wave 2 of [[Generations (toyline)|''Generations'']], Darkmount ("Straxus" was [[trademark|unavailable]]) is a [[Triple Changer]]<ref>Hasbro described him as a "Triple Changer" in their [[Toy Fair 2010]] presentation.</ref> who transforms into a half-tracked tank and a tripod-mounted artillery platform. The cannon barrel becomes the robot's trademark pick-axe weapon.

:"M17" is written on the side of the vehicle mode, referencing "[[The Smelting Pool!|Marvel #17]]," the comic issue in which Straxus first appeared.

:Note that the vehicle mode could just as likely be a [[wikipedia:self-propelled gun|self-propelled gun]], which would arguably be more fitting for the character given his original altmode of a "flying cannon."

{{comingsoontoy}}
{{-}}

==Notes==
[[Image:StraxusChangesColors.jpg|right|200px|thumb|Consistency is not dispensed here, fools, only GAFFES!]]
* For some reason, Straxus's colors changed drastically between the two issues he was in for the US comic. Also, sometimes between panels.

* With that in mind, Darkmount's color scheme (with its red biceps and gold chest) is based on an amalgam of his appearances. Specifically, a unique color arrangement that appeared on the cover of the fan-publication [http://www.shortpacked.com/images/blog/theobscureomnibus.jpg "The Obscure Omnibus"] that super-fan [[User:Monzo|Monzo]] gave the Transformers team for reference.

* Not only was Straxus's color scheme unstable, but so was his weapon design. In his first issue, it looked like a pick-axe, but when Straxus battled Blaster in his second issue, it had evolved into a scythe.

*According to Hasbro copy writer [[Forest Lee]], Straxus was mentioned in Comic-Con 2008 [[Nemesis Prime (G1)|Nemesis Prime]]'s bio entirely to make [[David Willis]] happy. Incidentally, Willis colored the cover to the fan publication mentioned in the second note, so he's probably on Cloud Nine right now.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://s90690880.onlinehome.us/jhiaxus/uscomics/straxus.htm Straxus at the Obscure Transformers Website.]

[[Category:Clones]]
[[Category:Decepticons]]
[[Category:Decepticon leaders]]
[[Category:Generation 1 characters]]
[[Category:Generations]]
[[Category:Triple Changers]]